Samsung has acquired UK startup Oxford Semantic Technologies to enhance user experiences through AI personalization.
Founded in 2017, Oxford Semantic Technologies specializes in knowledge graphs that integrate and analyze data for various applications, including voice assistants and search engines. Their product, RDFox, is described as an “AI reasoning engine” and supports use cases ranging from recommendation engines to anomaly detection in transactions.
For Samsung, this acquisition provides an opportunity to develop advanced, personalized AI solutions. The technology will help Samsung integrate information and context from various services and apps, allowing devices to become more attuned to users’ preferences and usage patterns. The company plans to embed this software across all its products, from phones to TVs and home appliances.
“As global consumers realize their growing need for more personalized AI experiences, the acquisition of Oxford Semantic Technologies will further boost Samsung’s strong capabilities in knowledge engineering,” said Paul Kyungwhoon Cheun, CTO of Samsung Electronics.
This acquisition marks the culmination of a long-standing relationship between the two companies, which began collaborating in 2018. Samsung had led a £3 million investment round in Oxford Semantic in 2019. While the acquisition price remains undisclosed, it is part of a broader trend of European startups being acquired by global tech giants. Recently, AMD bought Finnish company Silo AI, and SoftBank acquired British semiconductor firm Graphcore.
For Oxford Semantic, this deal offers a significant platform for growth. CEO Peter Crocker stated that integrating Samsung’s expertise in user experience and data with their advanced knowledge graph technology will enhance personalization for Samsung’s customers. Moreover, this partnership will improve RDFox and provide better products, services, and support to all clients.
